You must have heard this song ‘Khai Ke Paan Banaras Wala, Khul Jaye Band Akal Ka Tala’. Actually, the tradition of eating paan is very old in India, so many songs have also been made on it. Two things are most important in paan, one betel leaf and the other betel nut. You will be surprised to know that apart from betel nut, betel leaves are full of medicinal properties. Betel leaves can be used to get rid of many problems of the body. We will tell about the advantages and disadvantages of eating paan as well as the different ways to use it.
Let us first of all know why betel leaf is considered good for health.
Why betel leaves are good for your health?
Betel leaf can prove to be very beneficial for health due to its properties. In fact, it can act as a better detoxifier. Apart from this, it can also play a role in protecting against problems like diabetes and cancer. Not only this, betel leaf can also help to some extent in getting rid of pimples and blisters. Apart from this, betel leaves have also been considered better for the immune system and the heart. All these facts are confirmed by a research paper available on the site of NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information).
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Now we will know what are the medicinal properties of betel leaf.
Medicinal properties of betel
Betel leaf has been used in Ayurveda since time immemorial due to its medicinal properties. It contains antioxidant (fights free radicals), antidiabetic (reduces symptoms of diabetes), anti-inflammatory (fights inflammation), anti-carcinogenic (prevents cancer), anti-ulcer (helps fight ulcers) Vala) are found
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After the medicinal properties of betel leaf, now we will discuss its benefits in detail.
Benefits of betel leaf
You have come to know why betel leaf is beneficial for health, now let us tell you what can be the benefits of eating betel leaves in various diseases. Also let us make it clear that betel leaves help in keeping us healthy. Also, if someone has a disease, it can help in reducing its symptoms. Yes, if someone is seriously ill, a doctor must be treated. Relying only on home remedies is not the right decision.
1. For cough and congestion
Betel leaves have many medicinal properties. It is also enriched with antioxidant and anti-microbial properties. These properties of betel leaf can give relief from cough and by removing the infection, it can work to clear the throat, that is, to get rid of throat congestion during cough. This is confirmed by various research papers available from NCBI ( 2 ). Apart from this, another research paper clearly states that betel leaves can be used to prevent congestion and cough ( 3 ).
2. Benefits of eating betel leaf for the prevention of diabetes
To avoid the problem of diabetes, the benefits of betel leaf can be seen. A research paper is available on the NCBI site in this regard. In this research paper done on rats, it has been told that betel leaves have anti-hyperglycemic properties, which can play an important role in controlling the glucose present in the blood. This is the reason why it can be consumed in type 2 diabetes on the advice of a doctor ( 4 ). Keep in mind that if someone is suffering from diabetes, then he must take the medicines prescribed by the doctor.
3. For dental healing and oral health
The benefits of betel leaves also include the properties of strengthening the teeth and removing oral infections. According to a research, betel leaves can act as an effective medicine in repairing the damage caused to the teeth by bacteria. Also can work to provide relief from mouth infection caused by bacteria.
4. For good digestion
The benefits of eating betel leaves can also be seen in digestive problems. The saliva produced by chewing betel leaves can improve the digestive system. It naturally has digestive properties ( 6 ). Currently, more research is being done in this regard.
5. To increase appetite
Betel leaves can also help in increasing appetite. A research available from NCBI states that chewing betel leaves can improve appetite. At the moment, more research is needed on this topic.
6. For mouth ulcers
According to a research available on the NCBI website, betel leaf extract can be effective against the bacteria present in the mouth. This is the reason why betel leaf can be used as a natural agent to prevent oral infections caused by bacteria called Streptococcus mutans ( 8 ) . On this basis, it can be said that betel leaf can be useful in getting rid of mouth ulcers caused by bacteria.
7. To remove body odor
Extracts from betel leaves can be used to remove body odor. According to research available from NCBI, the medicinal properties found in it can help in removing body odor ( 9 ). Currently, more research is being done on which medicinal properties betel leaves may help reduce body odor.
8. To prevent cancer
Betel leaves can be helpful in preventing serious problems like cancer. As we have said that extracts of betel leaves have anti-carcinogenic properties, which can help prevent cancer from growing. This property of this can also prove to be effective in preventing tumors from growing. Also it can help in the prevention of cancer ( 1 ). Let us make it clear here that cancer is a deadly disease. If someone is suffering from this, then he should get proper treatment from the doctor instead of home remedies.
9. To reduce weight
The benefits of betel leaf can also be seen in reducing weight. In fact, betel leaf extract can promote the oxidation process in the body, which can help maintain body weight. Its special thing is that it can keep the weight balanced without affecting the appetite. This can help in maintaining a balanced body weight.
10. Gastric
The benefits of eating betel can also be seen in getting rid of the problem of gas . According to a research, extracts from betel leaves have gastro-protective properties, which can help in relieving gas problems. Apart from this, it also has the properties of healing stomach ulcers . Betel leaves can be used in limited quantity for these problems related to stomach. This information is present in the research paper available from NCBI.
11. To heal wounds
Betel leaf has been known for its medicinal uses since time immemorial. Its medicinal properties can work to heal wounds quickly. It is effective in increasing hydroxyproline (a heterocyclic protein amino acid found in collagen) and superoxide dismutase (an antioxidant that reduces oxidative stress in the body), which help in faster healing of wounds. According to a research, using extracts made from betel leaves can heal wounds caused by diabetes quickly.
12. For bloating
As we mentioned at the beginning of the article that betel leaves are rich in anti-inflammatory properties. This property may help fight inflammation. This is the reason why the use of betel leaf can be considered beneficial to get rid of any kind of problem related to inflammation.
13. For constipation
Betel leaf can help in relieving constipation . Research published on the NCBI site states that betel leaves can help in relieving constipation by improving digestion ( 12 ). At the same time, another research paper on the NCBI site also mentions that betel leaf can also be used to get relief from constipation.
14. For headache
Betel leaves can be used to treat headache . In a research related to this, it is clearly mentioned that betel leaves can be used to get relief from headache. Not only this, betel leaf can also help to some extent in relieving migraine. This research is published on the site of NCBI ( 9 ). At present, it is being researched that due to which property of betel leaf gives relief from headache.
15. For acne
According to a research, oxidative stress can act to increase acne (13). At the same time, betel leaves have antioxidant properties, which can prevent acne from growing by removing oxidative stress ( 2 ). On this basis, it can be assumed that betel leaves can prove to be effective to a great extent in getting rid of acne. Currently, more research is being done in this regard.
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After the benefits of betel leaf, we are giving information about its nutritional elements.
Betel Leaf Nutritional Value
Health benefits of betel leaves are beneficial for health in many ways. The reason is the nutritious elements found in it. Let us know about the nutritional elements found in betel leaves ( 6 ). Apart from this, further in the article, we have also told about the harm caused by eating betel leaf.
| NUTRIENTS | NUTRITIVE VALUE |
|---|---|
| Water | 85-90% |
| protein | 3-3.5% |
| fat | 0.4 – 1.0% |
| mineral | 2.3 – 3.3% |
| fiber | 2.3% |
| chlorophyll | 0.01 – 0.25% |
| carbohydrates | 0.5 – 6.10% |
| nicotinic acid | 0.63 – 0.89 mg/100 g |
| vitamin C | 0.005 – 0.01% |
| Vitamin-A | 1.9 – 2.9 mg/100 grams |
| thiamine | 10 – 70 µg/100 grams |
| riboflavin | 1.9 – 30 µg/100 grams |
| tannin | 0.1 – 1.3% |
| nitrogen | 2.0 – 7.0% |
| phosphorus | 0.05 – 0.6% |
| potassium | 1.1 – 4.6% |
| calcium | 0.2 – 0.5% |
| Iron | 0.005 – 0.007% |
| iodine | 3.4 µg /100 grams |
| essential oil | 0.08 – 0.2% |
| calories | 22 calories/100 grams |
Betel leaves can be used in many ways. Come, let’s know about this.
How to Use Betel Leaf
Betel leaves are used in different ways at different places. Below we are telling step by step how to use it.
- It is used as pan masala, everyone knows this.
- By chewing betel leaf, bad breath does not come from the mouth. You can use it as a mouth freshener.
- Betel leaf is considered sacred, it is also used for worship.
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Beneficial for health, betel leaf can also be harmful, let’s know the disadvantages of eating betel.
Disadvantages of Betel Leaf
You have come to know how betel leaf is beneficial for health, but its excessive consumption can also be harmful. So let’s know what can be the disadvantages of eating betel-
- Chewing betel leaves in excess can increase heart rate, blood pressure, sweating and increase body temperature.
- According to research, chewing betel leaves may increase the risk of esophageal (food pipe) and oral cancer.
- If betel leaves are consumed during pregnancy, it can be harmful to the fetus and its development.
- Consuming betel leaves in excess can increase or decrease the production of thyroid hormone.
After reading this article, you must have come to know that how betel leaf can be beneficial for health as well as skin. Along with this, we have also told here in how many ways it can be used. Just keep in mind that use it in limited quantity, otherwise its negative results can also be seen. You can read our other articles for more such information related to health.
Frequently asked questions
Is chewing betel harmful?
Yes, if betel is being consumed in excess, it can be harmful. Its information is given above in the article.
Is betel nut good for cough?
Yes, betel nut can be good for cough. We have also given information about this in the article.
